2.5.1 Extending word meaning
Truly understanding the English language means understanding the complexities of the language that allow speakers of the language to build different layers of meaning in their speech. Understanding these complexities takes a strong grasp of semantics and the ability to analyze context. When we talk about word meaning, we can generally break it down into two categories:
Denotation: Denotation refers to the literal meaning of a word. You can easily find the denotation for a word in the dictionary. With synonyms, the denotation is similar or the same.
Connotation: Connotation refers to the implied meaning that the word often has because the word is used to describe something beyond what the denotation states. Take a look at two synonyms, such as “skinny” and “thin.” If you use these two words to describe a person, their denotations are pretty much the same, but the connotation behind “skinny” is more negative than the connotation behind “thin.” Thin implies someone who is at a healthy weight, while skinny implies that the person is frail or weak. It takes true understanding of a language to get such small, but important complexities of meaning.
Because of the complexity of language, speakers and writers can build meaning that is implicit rather than explicit and sometimes difficult to decipher even for the most fluent English speaker.
Literal language: Literal language is when a speaker or writer directly describes what they mean.
Figurative language: When the writer builds meaning that goes beyond the literal meaning. Here are some examples of figurative language:
- Metaphors
- Similes
- Personification
- Irony
- Symbolism
No comments:
Post a Comment